I was struck by the generosity of this sub-genre of scribes, who willingly passed on what they’d learned in the blogosphere, whether technical tricks or SEO secrets or ways to make money — or just have more fun — with this modern mode of storytelling and recipe sharing.

In one breakout session, as we sat in a circle in the pine-scented San Bernardino Mountains, Donna Kelly sketched out in broad strokes how she and the baby she gave up for adoption when she was 16 found their way back to each other through food many years later.

It was unexpected. It was also a showstopper of a story. Enough with plugins and giveaways and blog stats: Here was a human telling a human tale.

In honor of Mother’s Day, I share the story of how Donna and her daughter Anne Tegtmeier, the voices behind the blog Apron Strings, became a family.

Take a moment and find their tale, in their own words, over at Gilt Taste.

I’ve always found this interesting, the birth child finding the birth parent. My brother was adopted and opted not to try to find his parents. I’m kind of glad because I feel like he’s my brother even if we are not related by blood. But I can still understand the quest.Alisa Bowman´s last [type] ..6 Ways to Pick a Battle

And also why when we talk about childhood (or family) memories and traditions food tends to focus prominently. These two show, too, that you can build that vocabulary at any stage in a relationship — even well into adulthood.

Sarah, congratulations on such a well-told, heartfelt piece. I met Anne and Donna at BlogHer Food in San Francisco a few years ago and was struck by their story. I’m so glad you’ve been able to bring it to a wider audience!Casey@Good. Food. Stories.´s last [type] ..Neighborhood Guide: Des Moines